Bar and tube straightening machine



Oct. 11, 1955 w, S|EGER|ST 2,720,243

BAR AND TUBE STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l2/ FIG. I. 5 19,

l H 89 i v 65 F 9 83 67 %3 I 3 H 1 A 31' MU Oct 1955 w. 1.. SIEGERISTBAR AND TUBE STRAIGHTENING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 1951ll q u fi fldmfl fiw fl 3 m MM MW a Q mu m R h. Q Q 5 w w w n :.t A /Q 3MIVIIIEIIIIRIIMIQIMKELIV Em ll Oct. 11, 1955 w. 1.. SIEGERIST BAR AND TBE STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1951 United States Patent BARAND TUBE STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Walter Laurenz Siegerist, Altton, Mo.,assignor, by mesne assignments, to Continental Foundry & MachineCompany, East Chicago, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application June20, 1951, Serial No. 232,490

Claims. (Cl. 153104) This invention relates to bar and tubestraightening machines, and with regard to certain more specificfeatures, to machinery for straightening elongate bars, tubes and thelike having various sectional shapes such as produced by extrusion,continuous casting, stretch-forming, rolling, drawing or the like.

Such production requires heating and mechanical action, or a combinationof both, followed by cooling. Articles thus produced are not straight,containing sweeps, bends, hooks and other deviations from a straightline caused by internal stressesinduced by the stated manufacturingmethods. Some of these articles (for example, extruded shapes) are oftenunsymmertical in cross section, presenting different section-moduli indifferent planes. As a result the articles, particularly when theircross-sectional shapes are complex, often deviate from straightness inseveral planes, requiring a multiplicity of straightening actions.Moreover, the perimeters of the sections sometimes are distorted fromproduction or distort during the straightening process, requiringcorrection.

Most machines of the type described have been capable of removingdeviation from straightness in one plane only, thereby necessitating apass through the machine for each plane of deviation, which istime-consuming and costly. A few machines could in one continuousoperation simultaneously remove some deviations from simpler sections intwo planes. At best they were of a construction which subjected thesections to severe bends, sometimes uncontrollable. Moreover, the rollpressures reached a magnitude under which the surface of the section wasunduly worked and the rolls imparted marks due to pressure and rubbingfriction. The above disadvantages resulted in an unduly high proportionof an unsaleable product.

The broad object of this invention is to provide shapestraighteningapparatus which in one continuous operation or pass will removedeviations from straightness in shaped sections of any complexity andvariation in section-moduli in various planes.

Another object of the invention is to correct such faults orirregularities in the section perimeter as may occur during correctionsfor extreme deviations from straightness.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for applyingcorrective roll pressures such that there is the least amount of surfaceworking and no objectionable marking due to roll action.

Other objects will be in pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the part apparent and in part 2,720,243 Patented Oct.11, 1955 structures hereinafter described, and the scope of which willbe indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possibleembodiments of the invention are illustrated,

Fig. l is a fragmentary top plan view of one form of the invention,showing two mechanically driven roll units, certain parts being shown inhorizontal section;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, except that it is drawn as an endelevation viewed from line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and shows in solid linescertain possible alternative roll adjustments and in dotted linescertain other possible roll adjustments;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a formal plan view of a complete machine, the roll units inthis case being individually motor driven; and,

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of Fig. 7.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

In the following description, reference will be made to certain rollunits. These have two dilferent forms, depending upon whether they areto be driven mechanically in tandem or by means of individual electricmotors. The former are shown in Figs. l-5 and the latter in Figs. 7 and8. Figs. 7 and 8 also illustrate by way of example a distribution of asmall number of roll units on a bed. The bed length, number of units,and their spacing may be changed freely within purview of the invention.It is to be understood that the roll units shown in Figs. 1-3 may be setup in corresponding arrangements. The generic designation U refers tothese roll units or stands, regardless of which form they are. Prefixcharacters M and E distinguish them. Thus MU designates the mechanicallydriven units and EU designates the electrically driven units.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1-4, only two units are shown,but as many may be used as are required for a given straighteningproblem. Each unit MU consists of a post 1 supported upon a crosscarriage 3 having a sliding support in dovetail cross guides 5 of atraverse carriage 7. Each traverse carriage 7 slides in dovetailedguideways 9 of the bed 11 of the machine. The cross carriage providesfor cross adjustments of the post 1 and the carriage 7 provides forlongitudinal or traverse adjustments of the post 1 with respect to thelength of the bed 11. As shown in Fig. 3, the bed 11 carries two sets ofguideways 9 for accommodating two sets of posts. In Figs. l-4 only onepost of each set is shown, but it will be understood that more may beused in each set of ways 9 as will be shown later in connection withFigs. 7 and 8.

Cross adjustment of each post is effected by means of a screw 13threaded into the carriage 3. The screw has a collar portion which isrotary but held against longitudinal movement in a lug 15 on thecarriage 7. Thus by applying a hand crank to a crank-engaging end 17 onthe screw, the screw may be rotated to cause cross movements of thecarriage 3. A rotary pinion 19 which is borne on the carriage 7 engagesa rack 21 attached to the side of the bed 11. This pinion may be turnedby means of a crank applied to a crank-engaging extension 23. Thisprovides for traverse adjusting movements of the post 1.

Sliding on the post 1 is a head 25 adapted to be clamped at any desiredvertical position by clamp means 27. The head 25 is splined to the post1, as shown at numeral 29. Threaded through the head is an elevatorscrew 31 which has a crank-engaging portion 33 whereby it may berotated. This adjusts the elevation of the head 25 on the post 1 whenthe clamp 27 is released.

The head 25 consists of two main parts, i. e., a cylindric pocket member35 and a roll support 37 in rotary cooperation with the pocket member35. Rotation is in a plane perpendicular to the guideways 9 and about anaxis parallel thereto. On this axis within members 35 and 37 is a shaft39 supporting a rotary gear cluster consisting of a worm wheel 41 and abevel gear 43. The worm wheel meshes with a worm 45 which passes freelythrough an opening 47 in head 25. When the post 1 is adjustedvertically, the worm wheel 41 may roll freely along the worm 45. On theother hand, when the post 1 is clamped, rotation of the worm 45 willdrive the worm wheel 41 and thus will drive the bevel gear 43. Withinthe roll support 37 is a wall 49 which forms a rotary support for abevel gear 51. The latter meshes with bevel gear 43.

Extending from the roll support 37 is a boss 53 forming a journal boxfor bearings 55. These bearings 55 support a stub shaft 57 to which isattached at one end an interchangeable roll 59. At the other end theshaft 57 has a splined removable engagement with interior splines in thegear 51. This end of the shaft 57 enters the pocket member 35 through asemi-circular slot 61. Thus the assembly of the roll 59, bearings 55,and the shaft 57 may be inserted into the journal box 53 and it ispossible to rotate the roll support 37 on the pocket member 35. In doingso, the bevel gear 51 has a planetary rolling motion on gear 43, thesegears functioning as a planetary train. In order to adjust the rotaryposition of the roll support 37, it is provided exteriorly with sectorgear teeth 63 which mesh with a pinion 65 rotary on the head 25 andadjustable by means of a crank applied to a crank-receiving member 67.

Suitable position locks are provided for the roll support 37 and alsofor the carriages 3 and 7 when these members have been adjusted. Sincethere is a wide variety of locking means known for such purposes,detailed description of them will be unnecessary.

A mechanical drive is provided for the worm 45, which is supported in atop bearing 69 on post 1 and a bottom bearing 71 in the first carriage3. At its lower end it carries a worm wheel 73 meshing with a worm 75,the latter being carried in bearings 77 of the second carriage 7. Thisworm 75 also carries a bevel gear 79 meshed with a bevel gear 81, alsohaving a rotary bearing in carriage 7. This bevel gear 81 is splined toa drive shaft 83 which is rotary in bearings on the bed 11. One of thesehearings is shown in a bearing block 85 which also carries a bearing fora drive shaft 87. A worm and worm wheel combination 89 transmits motionfrom drive shaft 87 to shaft 83. Thus rotation of the shaft 83 causesrotation of worm 75 through gears 81 and 79 in any position of thecarriage 7 along the guideways 9. When carriage 3 is adjusted withrespect to carriage 7, the worm wheel 73 may roll along the worm 75.Rotary motion of the worm 75 is transmitted from worm wheel 73 to theworm 45, which passes through the opening 47 in the head 25. Thus motionis ultimately transmitted to the roll 59 through gears 41, 43 and 51.Motion may be transmitted from the drive shaft 87 to the roll 59 in anyadjusted positions of the carriage 7, carriage 3, head 25 and rollsupport 37.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are shown two roll stands in random positions intheir respective guideways 9 of the bed 11, with their roll heads 25adjusted to horizontal positions and vertically spaced for acceptancebetween the vertically positioned rolls of a workpiece W located inworking position. Workpiece W in this case is hexagonal by way ofexample. These roll heads 25 Work on the upper and lower faces of theworkpiece W in plane I. In Fig. 4 is shown in solid lines how the headsmay be adjusted to work on two additional faces of the workpiece W inplane II. In dotted lines is shown how the heads may be adjusted to workon two additional faces of the workpiece W in plane III. Obviously, bymultiplying the pairs of roll units MU and their adjustments, more pairsof faces of any more complicated workpiece W may be operated uponsimultaneously.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown a possible arrangement for a near minimumnumber of roll units for straightening and correction of a cross sectionof a hexagonal bar. These Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate another form ofelectrically operated roll unit EU which will first be described beforedescribing the operation of the stated arrangement. In this case theroll stands and the bed are the same as already described, except thatthe mechanical drive on the post 1 to the worms 45 is eliminated andindividual motor drives are used for the roll units. The eliminatedparts are 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, 83, 85, 87 and 89. The vertical worms 45are not mechanically driven in tandem from the drive shaft 87. On theother hand, each worm 45 (in Figs. 7 and 8) is driven by an individualelectric motor M mounted on the top of each respective post 1. Eachmotor is connected to its respective worm 45 through a gear-reductionunit 91. This alternative construction simplifies the drive and makesthe invention applicable to arrangements employing many more roll unitsin a given machine. The number may be extended indefinitely bylengthening the bed 11. In operation, suitable wiring, including thenecessary switching arrangement, is used to energize motors M.

Over-all operation on hexagonal bars will now be described in connectionwith Figs. 7 and 8. It should be understood that although Figs. 7 and 8show the individual motor-driven roll units EU for the roll units, thisoperation is not essentially different if the mechanically driven rollunits MU of Figs. 14 be substituted for those shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Ineither case, the units may be set up as shown by way of example in Figs.7 and 8.

In Figs. 7 and 8 are indicated twelve stations A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H,I, K, L, N. Stations AB-C constitute one straightening group working inthe vertical plane I; stations D--EF constitute a second group workingin one 60 plane II; stations G-HJ constitute a third group working inanother 60 plane III; and stations KLN constitute a rolling group, thepairs of rolls of which work, in planes I, II and III, respectively.

Although the number of stations in each group is indicated as beingthree in number and equally spaced apart, it will be understood thatthere may be more groups, more station units per group and that thespacing between stations may be adjusted to effect proper straighteningof any types of sweeps, bends, hooks and other deviations. For example,station B may be closer to either station A or C, and stations A and Cmay be farther apart, et cetera. In the rolling group N-LK, opositeunits are located coplanar so that the axis of the roll of one is in theplane of the roll axis of the other.

It is an important feature of the invention that the planes of the axesof rolls of the units on one side of the bed can pass the planes of theaxes of nearby rolls of units on the other side. Two advantages result:

First, any two rolls operating on opposite sides of the workpiece W inany group such as CBA, may be brought together as close as necessary tostraighten out any given deformation, or as far apart as necessary forthe same purpose. Adjustments in other groups such as FE-D or J-HG maydiffer so as to take care of various deformations met with in thevarious planes I, II, III.

Second, the axes of the rolls of opposite units may be brought into acommon plane as in group N-Lr-K, or their planes may pass one another.Thus many variations of adjustment are possible which were not possiblein former machines, wherein the roll supports prevented suchadjustments.

In the group N-I P-K therolls of opposite units work on opposite sidesof the perimeter of the workpiece, so as to effect a squeezing actionwhich reforms the perimeter of the bar section if this perimeter hasbeen distorted by any of the straightening actions in the precedingstraightening groups, assuming that the work is fed in from the right inFigs. 7 and 8. If the work is fed in from the left the group N-L-Kcorrects such perimeter errors as may have existed prior to entry of thework into the machine. Thus it is clear that the invention provides muchgreater flexibility than was available in prior machines in correctingthe various deformations that may occur in the various planes of a baror workpiece.

Although plain cylindric rolls 59 are shown in the drawings foraccepting the flat faces of hexagonal stock, the faces of some or all ofthese rolls may be grooved or otherwise shaped to accept any shape ofstock, such as, for example, angle sections, H-sections, or the oddshapes met with from extrusion processes. It is such shapes which oftenhave the various section-moduli in various planes, which were usuallydifficult andwftemimpossible to bandle in prior-art machines. Obviously,the roll shape to be employed at any station will depend upon the shapeof the section presented to the roll in the plane being handled at thatstation. It may be noted in this connection that the rolls 59 areinterchangeable, as indicated by the holding nut and collar shown at 93.

Since in either form of the invention all of the rolls are powered, theyact as a unit in forcing the work through the machine, thus obviatinggalling, scufiing and the like.

In some instances it may be desirable to have some of the rolls 59operate as idler rolls, in which event one of the gears such as 51 maybe removed from the roll-driving trains of the units which it is desiredto have act in an idling capacity.

In view of the above, the various advantages of the invention will beclear, such as, for example, the followmg:

(a) As many or as few units MU or EU as desired may be used on a bed IIof any desirable length. Any unit on one side of the bed may be adjustedto one side or the other of nearby units on the other side of the bed,or be made coplanar. Hence all kinds of straightening forces and momentsmay be applied, including opposite squeezing forces on a givenperimeter.

(b) Any complicated work section may be accommodated and worked upon inany number of planes.

(0) One pass of the most complicated work through the machine issufficient to take out all sweeps, bends, hooks and other deviations, aswell as to reform the perimeter of the cross section.

(d) A minimum amount of surface working and roll marking is obtainedbecause the variety of adjustments available between the rolls permitsadjustment to maximum efiiciency for each roll operation.

(2) All roll units or stands may be made identical for the mechanicallydriven application of Figs. 1-5, or for the electrically drivenapplication shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Moreover, only minor changes areneeded to convert a mechanically driven unit into an electrically drivenunit.

(1) The machine is very flexible in its applications and adjustments, sothat it can be adjusted to straighten practically any and alldistortions that may be encountered in any number of planes in work ofcomplex sections.

(g) Each unit of either the mechanically or electrically driven form ofthe invention is practically the same as every other unit, so that theymay be used interchangeably in either of the guides of the bed.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved andother advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructionswithoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatall matter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. A bar and. tube straightening machine comprising a bed having alongitudinal guideway, a first carriage movable along said guideway anditself having cross guides, a transversely movable second carriage inthe cross guides, an upright member carried by the transversely movablesecond carriage, a roll head vertically movable on the upright member, arotary roll holder on said vertically movable roll head and adapted torotate on an axis parallel to said longitudinal guideway, a verticalrotary worm supported by the upright member, a worm wheel driven by saidrotary Worm and adapted to traverse it upon vertical movement of thevertically movable roll head, a first bevel gear driven by said worm, aroll borne in said roll holder on an axis in a plane perpendicular tothe axis of rotation of the roll holder, a second bevel gear meshingwith said first bevel gear and connected with the roll, whereby the rollmay be driven from said worm in any position of the roll holder and aplanetary action obtained between said bevel gears upon adjustment ofthe roll holder.

2. Apparatus made according to claim 1, including a motor drive on theupright member adapted to drive said worm.

3. Apparatus made according to claim 1, including a splined drive shaftextending parallel to said longitudinal guide, a gear box having a gearslidably splined to said shaft and carried on said first carriage, adriven member extending from said gear box and driving a horizontal wormrotary on an axis parallel to the movement of said second carriage, anda worm wheel on the vertical worm and meshing with the horizontal worm,whereby a drive is established to the roll in any adjusted positions ofsaid first carriage, second carriage, roll head and roll holder.

4. In a straightening machine for elongate workpieces such asextrusions, bars, tubes and the like of various sectional shapes, a bedhaving two longitudinal guideways located parallel to the longitudinalaxis of a workpiece passing through the machine, and roll units guidedby the guideways for longitudinal movement along the bed, each roll unitcomprising a first slide adjustable on the bed to different positionsalong the length of the bed, a second slide adjustable on the firstslide to different positions transversely of the bed, a third slideadjustable on the second slide to positions of dilferent spacing fromthe bed, a roll shaft having a pivotal connection with the third slide,the axis of said connection being perpendicular to the roll shaft axisand parallel to the length of the bed so that the shaft is adjustable todifferent angular positions in a plane transverse to the guideways, anda rotatable roll on the shaft, whereby the plane of rotation of saidroll may be tilted relative to the bed while remaining parallel to saidlongitudinal axis of a workpiece passing through the machine.

5. In a straightening machine for elongate workpieces such as bars,tubes and the like, a bed having two longitudinal guideways, and rollunits guided by the guideways for longitudinal movement along the bed,each roll unit comprising a first slide adjustable on the bed todifferent positions along the length of the bed, a second slideadjustable on the first slide to difierent positions transversely of thebed, a third slide adjustable on the second slide to positions ofdifferent spacing from the bed, a shaft having a pivotal connection withthe third slide, the axis of said connection being transverse to theshaft axis and parallel to the length of the bed so that the shaft isadjustable to different angular positions in a plane transverse to thebed, a roll fixed on each shaft, and means for driving the rolls in anyposition of adjustment.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Teetor July 6, Geyer June 23, BrightmanSept. 10, Leek May 14, Leech Nov. 26, Peterson May 26, Hartley Oct. 1,

8 Kane May 9, 1939 Didden June 27, 1939 Mason Aug. 18, 1942 Sutton May22, 1945 Sutton Nov. 19, 1946 Heller Feb. 22, 1949 Heller Aug. 1, 1950Picton Aug. 1, 1950 Heller Sept. 11, 1951

